Amy Lee Joins Oberlin Conservatory Faculty as Associate Professor of Violin

Beginning in fall 2026, Amy Lee will join the Oberlin Conservatory faculty full-time as an associate professor of violin. A musician praised for her expressive artistry and technical command, she is currently associate concertmaster at the Cleveland Orchestra. Since fall 2024, Lee has also been a visiting associate professor at the conservatory. 

“Amy is not only a world-class artist, as her extraordinary tenure with the Cleveland Orchestra might attest—she is also a first-rate teacher, and we are thrilled beyond words that our students will have the opportunity to study with and learn from her,” says Dean of the Conservatory Bill Quillen.

“I’m deeply honored to be joining the Oberlin Conservatory faculty full-time,” Lee adds. “Teaching here has been profoundly meaningful. The students are open, curious, and eager to grow, bringing a wonderful sense of possibility into the studio. What I treasure most about Oberlin is its truly student-first spirit: a community that nurtures the whole artist, encouraging both individuality and excellence with remarkable care.”

Lee has appeared as a soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra many times since joining the ensemble in 2008. Notable performances include Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto at Blossom Music Center; Arvo Pärt’s Fratres featured on the orchestra’s Adella streaming platform; and Igor Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet.

A native of Seoul, South Korea, Lee made her solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at age 15 and later earned a bachelor’s degree at the Curtis Institute of Music and a master’s degree at the Juilliard School.

In addition to her work with the Cleveland Orchestra, Lee has appeared as a soloist with orchestras throughout the United States and Europe. She was also the first-prize winner of the Irving M. Klein International String Competition and the Corpus Christi International Competition for Piano and Strings.

Lee teaches and performs at multiple summer festivals, and holds faculty positions at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Kent Blossom Music Festival, and the Ascent Music Festival. An active chamber musician, she is also a member of the Omni Quartet and Ensemble HD and a former member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Two. She also participates regularly in the Marlboro Music Festival and Strings Music Festival.

Before coming to Oberlin, Lee coached chamber music at the Cleveland Institute of Music and spent a decade as a violin professor at Kent State University’s Hugh A. Glauser School of Music.

"Amy Lee is a consummate professional—a wonderful musician and a passionate, committed, and dedicated teacher,” says Sibbi Bernhardsson, professor of violin and director of strings at the Oberlin Conservatory. “Her values—musical excellence, hard work, performance rigor, and creating a positive learning environment—align perfectly with Oberlin Conservatory's core values when it comes to educating the next generation of musicians. We are thrilled that she will be joining our faculty."

Adds Lee: “I’m thrilled to be part of shaping the future here—guiding young musicians as they discover their own voices, develop technical freedom and artistic vision, and grow with confidence and resilience. It means a great deal to me to pass down the values that have shaped my own musical life and to help the next generation carry those forward with integrity and imagination.”

Learn more about the career and performance opportunities for students studying violin at the Oberlin Conservatory.